Jack, a school janitor, preferred to live a poor man's existence. A year after his death, however, Jack showed that his poor man's life was really a façade. Jack was saving every penny, so someday after he was gone, he could do some good. He accomplished his wishes by leaving sizeable bequests to the school, church, and community he loved.
Todd Crosby is the principal of Mill Creek West Elementary School in Hendricks County, the school where Jack had worked since 1988. Crosby said Jack lived a solitary existence at his modest, two-bedroom house, but when he showed up for work, he showered the students and staff with care and compassion.
Crosby fondly recalls, "The kids absolutely loved him. Jack would give high fives to them, even though he was 6'3," and he'd have to crouch down to their level."
Crosby said when any kind of problem appeared, the kids would scour the halls looking for Jack. They respected and cared for him, the same way he cared for them.
Jack was famous for remembering birthdays and writing short poems for students and staff. He didn't have a family of his own, so he viewed the students, in a sense, as his very own.
Crosby said, "That's what's so different between businesses and schools, it's more of a family atmosphere. Jack was like a big daddy. He kept track of and cared for everybody."
There came a time when the favor of kindness would have to be returned. In 2003, Jack was diagnosed with an aggressive, rapidly moving brain tumor. Crosby, who lost a family member to a similar condition, helped take Jack to his doctor's appointments in Indianapolis, along with neighbors, school staff members, and friends.
Crosby said Jack didn't like traveling to the city, and even more to his dislike, was not being able to rely solely on himself.
"He knew he had to trust the doctors in what they had to do, but he didn't like the fact that other people had to take care of him. He was used taking care of himself, and he didn't want a lot of attention on himself."
Jack had surgery, but it only briefly slowed the tumor's progress. He took a leave of absence from his janitorial duties, but later decided to retire. Even while enduring all the pain, he managed to stop by the school to visit the kids from time to time. The students and staff all received frequent updates on his progress. In winter of 2004, Jack died at age 69.
WHAT IS YOUR STORY IN LIFE?